Keeping On
by ZilverHope
Summary: Ruby Rose reached her dream long ago, she fulfilled her potential and reached her ideal. Yet, in the end, she never really knew how much that would cost, or how much it would hurt her. (A short One-Shot inspired by the image used as the cover.)


Blood trickled down her outfit, Ruby Rose was tired, her weapon on the verge of breaking, she wondered briefly if she would break before it. Collapsing against the tree, she set it beside her, her lovely Crescent Rose, covered in more blood than it ever had been before, she always wanted to be a hero, like the people in the stories her sister, Yang, always read her when they were little.

Who would have known that it would be so hard? So harsh, so unfair? Who would have known that saving so many would eventually lead you to a point where you yourself need a savior? Who would have known that it would be so lonely? Her thoughts flashed before her, akin to how her beautiful Silver eyes flash to repel the creatures of destruction, the creatures of Grimm. Yang was gone, so was Blake, and even Weiss. Jaune was the last to go, before him was Nora and Ren, and the first one that they lost preceded them, the ever-so kind Pyrrha.

But not her, not yet. She was here, not to protect what she has left in her life, but to protect that of other people's lives, fighting for everyone but herself. Forcing herself to continue on even when her body and mind both want to give in. A weep left her mouth, she did not know if it was the emotional damage or the physical wounds that caused her to do so. But she knew that they both hurt, they hurt more than she ever imagined something could hurt someone.

Why was she still doing this? Why fight on?

She was just one in a thousand, another Huntsman or Huntress would take her place if she disappears, she had saved person after person, human after human, faunus after faunus.

But it always seemed worthless, it's never enough, it's never even close to enough!

She looked up at the sky, weeping louder than before with tears trailing their way down her cheeks, her voice wasn't the same anymore, it was broken, raspy, foreign, too much yelling and crying did that to her. "What am I supposed to do...?" She whispered to herself. Her mind quickly remembered her enemies, she remembered that they're still out there, waiting for her to break, waiting for their moment to strike.

Maybe now they would have that chance?

A light, almost contrasting that of her thoughts, caught her attention, she looked up again, Silver eyes stared down at her, behind them were wings ever-so bright, ever so illuminating, belonging to a hooded figure, a hooded figure so familiar yet also so foreign. The figure reached for her, a smile on her face, Ruby could not resist to reach back, who was this? The light was so bright that she could not make out their face.

"You, my little hero, are still on a journey, it is not time to give up just yet." The figure said, coming closer and planting a kiss on top of Ruby's forehead. "I will be watching you, my little flower." The voice said, as fast as the words were spoken, said figure was gone.

"Wait!" Ruby said through her injured throat, she had so many questions already. "Wait, don't go, who are you?!

"I love you, Ruby." The voice said, seemingly coming from everywhere around the young huntress. Ruby forced herself to stand up, looking in the sky, trying to find the figure again. That's when she saw the smoke on the horizon, coming from a burning village even further away than what she could see clearly.

People needed her once again. A hand instinctively found its way to Crescent Rose's hilt, but quickly let go again. Can she still do this? She was so tired...

"Yes, you can." Multiple voices spoke, Ruby looked behind her, figures, everywhere, they stood. They all gazed upon her, she could not make out their faces yet they were so familiar, as if family, as if friends... she watched as one of the figures came closer, taking a hold of her hand and placing it on her weapon. "I once told you that you gave us the courage to follow you, we are still here, Ruby. We will always be, and when the time comes, we will welcome you back with open arms." He motioned with his head towards the village. "But people need your help now." He said, she could not see his face as it was too bright, but she could swear that she could make out blue eyes and a smile.

"Now go, crater-face." He added before they all disappeared. Ruby looked at the village, people needed her, can she still do this? She was so tired...

Yes, yes she can. She had everything taken away from her, she would weep, she would regret and cry, but not before making sure that none else have to go through that other than her, not before saving the lives of those who cannot save themselves, not before before she sees her dream through.

Her dream... A dream so beautiful, like a Rose, yet so dangerous, like the thorns of said Rose. Roses, Red roses filled her dreams, and it will one day bring her to the place they rest.

But for now? Ruby Rose was a Huntress.

And she was going to make sure she doesn't lose anything else.


End file.
